Magnification
by osp12345678910
Summary: All Jason Todd wanted was a family. All Carnage needed was a host. Close bonds magnify the good and the bad. Rated T for language and violence. This is my first published story, so all reviews are welcome :)


Chapter 1

The Past

Pain and suffering were all he'd ever known. His entire life, all he had wanted was to find the place he belonged. For a while, he thought fighting crime was his calling, and when you get to work alongside one of the greatest detectives known to man, you would tend to think that way. However, when you leave for a while, you see how things really are.

He constantly thought about the life he had been forced out of. It was a life of many luxuries. More luxuries he had ever had before and probably more than he ever would have. At first, it had been nice. Being somewhere you were treated right. At least, that's how it was for the first few weeks. When training started, he knew why he was there. He was sure it wasn't because of nay genuine emotion.

Jason had been training for almost a month when he started to get frustrated. He could see the Bat comparing him to the first Robin. They both knew Jason didn't possess the natural skill that Grayson had. However, he kept pushing. He kept his hopes high. He hoped that fighting crime would be where he belonged. He would put in as much work as he could if it meant he would be cared about. But that was behind him now.

When he had finally donned the suit for the first time, he had been overwhelmed, nervous, and excited. He was finally ready to start his new life. What he didn't know what how strict the Bat was when roaming the streets.

They had heard of an alleged bombing the Joker intended to carry through that night. Robin nor the Dark Knight knew where this was going to take place, considering the event in question had been delivered in the form of a city-wide broadcast that couldn't be tracked.

"People of Gotham City," Jason heard from the living room. He sprinted in to see an older, gray-haired man with eyes glued to the television standing to the right of the large set. Jason looked up to the crystal clear image of the man with the demonic smile drawn onto his face. It sent shivers down his spine.

"I intend to set off," he paused. The pause was followed by a fit of laughter. "a bomb!" the crazed villain managed to squeeze out between hysterical cackles. A few seconds passed bye as the Joker attempted to reclaim his composure. "It's a shame none of you will know why I find this so," he paused again, but this time, he looked rather introspective. A sadistic smile crossed his face as he began again. "Amusing. No one in this City has a sense of humor, do they? I bet not even the Batman himself could think of a good joke." His face was slowly becoming more and more twisted as he leaned in closer to the camera.

"Find me by midnight, Batsy. Maybe then you'll get the joke," he finished in the most serious tone of his entire threat. The screen went static. Jason probably would have heard the loud buzzing, as well as the end of the threat, had he left for the Batcave seconds later.

The Batmobile's engine was silent as it drove through the eerily empty streets of Gotham. Jason could only assume the strange emptiness was because of the time. The sun had set almost four hours ago, but the Bat knew it was the threat that kept the people indoors.

"Br-I mean, Batman?" Jason corrected himself. "Yes?" he responded.

"Why would do this? I mean, I know he's evil and all, but this just seems so… Random."

"The Joker has a plan for something. Everything he does has a deeper meaning to it. I think that he gave us some sort of hint when he said we may get the joke if we find him."

"Wait, what? When did he say that?

"Jason, you have to pay attention. He could have said something crucial, and you would have missed it."

"I was coming to the Batcave to get ready!"

"That's no excuse!"

Jason didn't respond. He was full of anger. _All I wanted to do was stop that crazy jerk, but I guess wanting to get things done is frowned upon!_ Jason thought to himself. He was so caught up in his rage, he almost didn't see the large man backing a young girl into the passing alley.

"Bruce!" he exclaimed, shaking the Dark Knight's shoulder, "We need to stop and help her!" Batman looked at the yellow-tinted display of the Batmobile. Jason tilted his head to see the time. It read 11:55. Batman's face became melancholy, but he never let up on the gas.

"Batman!? Bruce!" Jason yelled, "Stop the car! If you won't do anything, I will!" Batman shot him an intimidating glare. "Robin, you know I want to, but we have to stop the Joker. It's for the greater good. We'll come back once we've stopped him."

"How can you say that?" Jason muttered, appalled by his mentor's words. He snatched the door handle and pulled. "You stop the Joker, but don't worry about coming back after," Jason said as he forced the Batmobile's door open against the wind and rolled out. He pulled himself to his feet and watched the Dark Knight continue on to where he had pinpointed the origin of the broadcast.

Jason dashed as fast as he could. He didn't realize how far the Batmobile had gone since he saw the girl. The image of her terrified face burning into his mind kept him going. After about 3 blocks, he could hear the voices. He peaked around the corner to plan his moves against the man. It was a dead end with brick buildings on all three sides. About fifteen feet from one wall to the next, the alley leading to a dirty green dumpster, and a terrified little girl pinned up against a man at least three times her size.

"Bu-but I di-didn't do nothin'!" the girl squeaked as she held back her tears. She couldn't have been any older that seven or eight.

"Kid, it don't matter what you do," the man said intimidatingly.

"It may not matter what she does, but maybe what I do will," Jason commented slyly as he stood at the mouth of the alley.

"I don't care what you do, or what nobody does. I ain't gonna let some little asshole like you ruin my day!" the man exclaimed as he charged.

Jason jumped over the man and pushed off his shoulders, sending him flying face first into the concrete sidewalk. He ran to the girl and stood in front of her as the man force himself to his feet. This was the first time he saw the man's outline up close. He didn't look like much of a threat, considering the biggest part of him was his stomach.

The man charged with full force at Robin and the child. Jason leaped to the wall and pushed off, sending himself at the man's head. The man fell, banging his head on the ground. He passed out. Jason Approached the unconscious figure. The man's nose was drenched in crimson liquid, obviously broken. Jason kneeled and placed his hand on the man's neck. He still had a steady pulse. The girl stared at Robin with wide eyes. He kneeled a few feet away from her.

"Hey, I'm going to call the police, okay?" he said in as calmly as he could. The girl still eyed him with fear in her eyes.

"Is 'e dead?" she asked. Jason was taken aback by her blunt question. He realized she was in the same situation as he was a few months ago. No mother, no father, and nowhere to go.

"No, he's just unconscious. I'm going to call the police. They're going to come and get you and take him where you'll never have to see him again. They're going to take you somewhere safe, too. Okay?"

The girl nodded. Jason could tell she hadn't been on her own for long. She looked thin. She also had dark circles under her large, brown eyes. It was obvious she hadn't eaten for a few days. He remembered when that had been him. He had to learn to take care of himself. He wouldn't let this little girl go through the same thing.

He pulled and earpiece out of a pocket on his utility belt. He placed it in his ear, pressed the button and began giving the commissioner directions to their location.

Within fifteen minutes, three units from the Gotham City Police Department and an ambulance had arrived and taken the girl away. Jason watched from a rooftop as the police reassured the girl and convinced her she was safe. He watched as she glanced up to him as she stepped into a police car. He put on his best reassuring smile, even though he wasn't sure himself.

He sat for an hour or so, just staring at the skyline. It was about one-thirty when a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Don't do that ever again," Batman growled. Jason had been waiting for him.

"Well you obviously didn't need my help stopping the Joker," Jason retorted.

"I might not have stopped him if Nightwing hadn't shown up!"

"Oh, of course Nightwing, the prophetic child extraordinaire, saved the day! What can't he do?"

"Jason. Please. We should go home. We can talk about this later. We both need rest," the Dark Knight said calmingly. Jason paused, examining the Batman's unchanging perfect posture.

"Fine."

Jason would never forget that night.


End file.
